Lifespan Changes (Chapter 2)

Question 1

development of speech breathing

Answer 1

Emergence: birth to 3 years
-vocalizations on exhale
Refinement: 3 to adult
-increased lung size and volume; increased stiffness in airway and chest wall
Adaptation: older child to adult
-efficiency in speech breathing + more linguistically adept

Question 2

differences in young child vs. older child vs. adult

Answer 2

• pressures for speech
• inhalation: Kids inhale more deeply
• lung volume when initiating speech: kids begin speaking at larger lung volumes
• end speech below REL
• kids use larger %age of vital capacity for speech
• older kids and adults use greater rib cage movement than abdominal

Question 3

larynx in infancy and childhood

Answer 3

• developed by end of first trimester
• position C3-4 at birth; C6-7 at puberty
• cartilages and hyoid soft and flexible
• epiglottis bulky, omega-shaped
• VF 1.25-3 mm, tilt downward
• lamina propria undifferentiated
• narrowest portion is below VFs

Question 4

infant vocalizations

Answer 4

• crying requires coordination of laryngeal, respiration & supralaryngeal muscles
• cries, coughs, burps = not much neuromuscular control over laryngeal function
• cry, short moan, wail, croak, laugh, coo, squeal, raspberyy = as baby matures
• squeals, growls and mid-vowels reflect first abilities to form phonemes

Question 5

FO in infants

Answer 5

• maturation of neuro and physiologic systems as infant matures
• more muscle control means greater control over subglottal air pressure (changes in loudness)
• FO is higher in premies: smaller VF, more stressed by pain, increased tension
• FO is higher in babies with neuro diseases and malnourished
• FO lower in babies with apnea due to low muscle tone

Question 6

5 preverbal stages

Answer 6

1. 0-1 month: no systematic dif in open/close of VF
2. 2-3 months: first appearance of laughing, vocal variations
3. 4-6 months: vocal play, exploring sounds as squealing/growling, blowing saliva, air, food
4. 7-10 months: babbling
5. 11 months: babbling with alternating syllables, different Cs and Vs

Question 7

childhood changes in voice

Answer 7

• larynx: increases in size, descends in neck
• VF: lengthen and layers differentiate
• acoustics: drops in FO from ages 6-14 in males and females; 100 Hz in males, 35 Hz in females

Question 8

puberty

Answer 8

-laryngeal cartilages grown 2-3x more in males AP than females and weight; angle of thyroid increases to 90 degrees in males, stays 120 in females
-VF = 12 mm in males; 4 mm in females
-vocal ligament: continues to differentiate into layers
-larynx: descends to level of C6 or C7
(this lengthens VFs, lowers pitch and changes resonance)
-adolescent boys: pitch breaks, hoarse voice; age of onset 12.5-14.5; duration ave 18 mod

Question 9

Adult female voice

Answer 9

• Adult female voice: breathiness due to posterior glottal gap
• fluctuations in quality - hormonal cycles
• estrogen increases secretions & reduces mucosal viscosity; dry voice
• progesterone reduces secretions, increases dehydration, increases mucosal viscosity, thinning of VF mucosa
• androgens cause irreversible masculinization of voice

Question 10

voice changes caused by PMS, ovulation and pregnancy

Answer 10

-Premenstrual Vocal Syndrome:
vocal fatigue
decreased range
loss of vocal power
loss of higher harmonics
-ovulation
edema
thick glandular secretions
reduced amplitude of vibration
vascular changes
-pregnancy
vocal fatigue
hoarseness

Question 11

aging voice - structural changes

Answer 11

-changes are gradual and variable
-females have menopause, loss of hydration & GERD
-structural changes:
cartilage: ossification
(thyroid > cricoid; men > women)
-joints
CT: pitch: CA: loudness
-muscles: speed, force, endurance of contractions; less innervation
-VF layers: epithelial and lamina propria (become dry)

Question 12

aging voice - acoustic effects

Answer 12

• change in FO: increase in men (muscle tone), decrease in women (progesterone)
• decreased phonatory stability (ability to keep vibrations going)
• reduced intensity (laryngeal changes and respiratory factors)
• increased breathiness: can’t pull VF together as well

Question 13

presbyphonia

Answer 13

term used for normally aging laryngeal mechanism

• auditory perceptual changes: altered pitch, hoarseness, breathiness, strain, slow rate
• visual-perceptual changes: bowing, atrophy, spindle-shaped gap, edema
• acoustic changes: increased FO in males, decreased FO in females; decreased intensity; increased NHR